Homecoming
by CFire777
Summary: Leo is missing. The Seven are coping after the war. This is the story of Leo's dramatic return, with the girl of his dreams, where the book leaves off.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One: Piper's POV

Tonight Piper was mad at herself for two reasons. Maybe three. But she was too proud, and sad, and still a bit hopeful, to allow her mind to wander there. Perhaps she would later, when she was alone with her thoughts on the beach or when she was alone with Hazel. Hazel, and Nico, were the only two people around her right now that could understand her.

So for now. It was two reasons. Just the two. But she smiled anyway, because that was just what was expected of her. And there were toasts, to her and the Seven, and respectfully bowed heads at the mention of Leo's name towards his brothers and sisters. But they never lasted long. This was a party of course, and the parties thrown by Aphrodite's cabin were always the best. So Piper couldn't let this party be ruined by her sour face. Just two reasons.

One of the reasons was the party itself. Actually, it was both if she was being honest. Though the party had not been her idea, but she was the leader of her cabin. So therefore the party, and much of its planning, had fallen on her shoulders. So she was mad herself for letting this party happen in the first place. This was a time of mourning, especially for the Seven. And to force a party in their honor on them… it was insulting. Especially when one of them was dead. Supposedly dead. Or really dead? Who in hades knows.

Nonetheless, the Aphrodite party was true to its history and was _fun_. Not the, hey! Lets play games and sing songs fun. The hey! Let's scream and laugh at the top of our lungs and sneak behind the cabins and make out kind of fun. Because we're alive. And we owe it to the people who aren't anymore to act like we are. So the second reason? She was letting herself have fun. And Leo was dead. So this was not acceptable. Just the two. Just the two.

But she was also thankful tonight. For the whoops of laughter and the fire and the merriment that flowed like water. She was thankful to be holding hands with Jason, and to watch Annabeth's face crack a smile at some joke that Percy had made. Thankful for Nico, who was sitting pensively beside a positively beaming Will Solace and definitely thankful for the love that beamed on Hazel and Frank's faces as the crackling bonfire illuminated her gorgeous copper hair. So many reasons to be thankful, not mad. And yet… No. Just the two. Just the two.

But Piper could not admit that to herself, when the rush of the party was over and the plates cleared away and (almost) everyone was asleep in their respective cabins. Because there _was_ a third reason Piper was angry with herself. And it wasn't just the party.

' _It's,'_ she thought as she turned to cry into her already tear-soaked pillow, ' _I'm finally admitting to myself that Leo is really gone.'_

Author's Note: Hey! Second story, yay. Hopefully I can keep up with his one AND my other one (hinthint its called Annabeth Chase and the Lightning Thief, check it out) please like and comment!


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two: Nico's POV

Nico was not in the mood for the literal ball of sunshine that was beside him at the moment. Standing at the head of the bed that was in the infirmary. Which Nico couldn't remember why he agreed to this. Not at all. It was probably just the blinding hair, that's all.

"I still don't know why I need to be here," Nico said as Will wrote something down on a chart. His eyes flicked to Nico's, if only for a second, then were back to his chart.

"Because yesterday you tried to pick up a glass of water and your hand went right through it. You're not completely healed."

"OK. Fine. But why can't I recover in my own cabin?" Will stopped for a moment, then grinned and gave his full attention to his patient.

"Because here is the only place I can keep an eye on you. Fully." Nico rolled his eyes, but his heart was fluttering around in his chest.

"You let me go to the party last night."

"And that was because I was there for you. Next to you. Making sure nothing went wrong. Now stop arguing and at least try to sleep?" And Will walked away, closing the curtain behind him and leaving Nico cold without the absence of his metaphorical sunshine.

Damn Will's pills. The ones that made him try to stay awake, and Will's giggles as he saw Nico try to fight their effects. It was a battle Nico was bound to loose, and soon he was drifting off into the shadows of his mind. Nico usually liked shadows, and dreams were something that he could control. Not with those pills. They made his body, even his dream body, sluggish and out of control. Nico saw Tartarus, and Gaea. He saw Cupid, taunting him. He saw his sister die and he saw the disappointed faces of the 5 people around him, when he and his sister had to tell them they felt Leo die. The last one was the worst. It was like he was personally letting down the very first friends that he had let himself have. He saw himself alone in is cabin, crying at the fact that someone that hadn't deserved to die. He had died. Someone brave. In a weird kind of way Leo had reminded Nico of his sister. Brave. Short. Spunky. Funny.

And then someone was shaking Nico awake. ' _Will?_ ' Nico groggily thought, but when he opened his eyes it was Piper. There was not a sound in the infirmary. It must be the middle of this night. When Piper spoke, her voice was hoarse and tired, but she didn't look it. Even now she looked beautiful.

"Nico?" She whispered. "Are.. are you awake?" Nico sat up, painfully, and glad for the dark. He could feel his wet cheeks. He nodded.

"Um. I hate to ask this, because I know you already explained it but. Did you feel Leo die? I mean. Are you _positive_?" Nico looked up at her. She was pleading with him, and this was not a feeling Nico was used to.

"Yes. I am sure. He died. But, as I told you before, I felt somthing-" She cut him off by putting her hand over his mouth. Nico recoiled. He didnt't like to be touched.

"Sorry. But. I can't hear any more. I can't handle any more maybes. My whole life, this whole quest, and everything is maybe. I can't hope anymore. I can't think options anymore. If Leo is dead. I have to accept that. I can't let myself go through another maybe." She muttered on and on to herself. Nico was about to say something, _what_ he didn't yet know, but then a blonde head was there.

"Piper, would you mind explaining to me why in HADES you are in my patient's room in the middle of the night?" Will said in an angry whisper. Piper quickly sat up, muttered an apology and hurried out. Will looked at Nico for a moment, and then softened.

"Get some sleep. Please?" And for once, with the thought of that beautiful hair in his mind, it wasn't hard to fight off the nightmares.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three: Percy's POV

It seemed liked Annabeth only had two talents. Not his girlfriend wasn't talented or anything! But recently her two talents seem to be 1- being busy when Percy isn't and 2- _pretending_ to be busy when Percy isn't. Annabeth doesn't lie, not really. But something has been up with her and she just won't tell Percy what it is. Well. He was going to find out. Today.

He found her in her cabin, alone. She was mumbling over some papers. He knocked on the wall before stepping in, a goofy grin on his face. "Hey wise girl."

"Percy!" She beamed up at him for a second before going back to her papers. Percy couldn't tell if this was her pretend busy or if it was the real thing. He thought that she forgot he was here until she finally sighed and looked up. "You know that laptop that. Um. Got busted?"

"Your prized possession. Yes, I remember. What about it?" He leaned on the table where papers in neat, precise handwriting that could only be Annabeth's laid.

"Well. All my work, it seemed, is not lost. I forgot I did it, but when I first got the laptop I summarized each file that was in it. Most of Daedalus's work was common knowledge, and the rest I recorded in my diary. That isn't the problem. The problem is all that info was compiled into one place. It'll take me a fair bit of time, but I think I can do it again." She gave Percy a tired smile. "That's what I've been doing these last few days. Keeps away bad thoughts, I guess."

Percy ignored her last comment, at least for now. He was just happy she wasn't avoiding him. "Great! I can help." Annabeth looked up quickly, then shuffled all her papers away in one swoop.

"What? No. No, babe, I love you. But I have to do this alone. No offence, but I know these architecture books inside and out. It'll go much faster just with me by myself." As she spoke, she pushed Percy out the door. Before he could even argue she kissed his cheek. "See you at dinner!" Then she shut the door. ' _Yeah, not happening,'_ Percy thought.

Percy waited a few hours before he came back to the Athena cabin. He knew Annabeth was still alone, but the mutterings were louder. He waited a few more minutes before edging up to the front door. That's when he heard it.

"Fuck this! Just fuck all of it!" Followed by a large slam of a heavy book and some more swears that Percy didn't hear because he was running into the cabin. Annabeth was over the desk, which was now much more messy and he was panting over a particularly large book which was now laying, spine up, on the wood floor.

"Annabeth." Percy said slowly making sure she knew that he was there. She looked up, and then he saw the tears.

"Percy. I-I just. I just." And then she broke completely, and Percy was pulling her into his arms and pulling her away from the messy cabin and somewhere that no one would bother them. Ironically, his cabin. The sat on his bed, Annabeth crying into his shirt and Percy rocking her slowly back and forth.

"Percy." She said after a while. They were still sitting there.

"Yeah?" He pulled her away so that he could look at her face. She was still s beautiful.

"I didn't mean to push you away. I figured. I figured if I was alone with my thoughts that I could. I don't know. Push them out of the way? I'm just so upset. And I never let myself cry after. Everything. I guess I just broke down. I'm sorry." And Percy just smiled and hugged her tighter.

"You don't have anything to be sorry for. Just know that you can come to me, with anything. I just have one question."

"Yes? Anything."

"What were you thinking about that got you so upset?" She slowly pulled herself away and looked at Percy, who was sitting there expectantly.

"I don't know. Just." She took in a deep breath. "Did you ever think that Hazel and Nico were actually right? About. About Leo?"

"Yes. I have faith in it."

"Percy!" She looked at him, a looked mixed with both shock and relief.

"No. You don't get it. I have faith that they are right about him being alive. About that weird feeling that both of them had."

"Oh…"

"Wait. But. You're stronger than me. You can face a reality where Leo is actually dead. I just… can't. I can't deal with the fact that I let him down. If that's what you believe I'm actually happy. I don't think you're the only one of the seven who thinks so, either. I just can't. You're so much stronger than me, Wise Girl."

"Oh, Percy," she said, putting her hand on his cheek and leaning in. "You don't know how strong you actually are. To me." And as they kissed, Percy was glad that he could help her forget, if even for a little while.

Author's Note/ sorry about the long delay. It's been a long/emotional week, and I know this is NOT my best work. I will be better soon, promise. Thanks :)


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